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BETHLEHEM 




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CHARLES A. HOBBS, D D, 



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CHARLES A^r^HOBES, T. D., ^^ 







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Author of 
VTOKSnrH<i. ■ -TuF, Kide in thk Vai.lky of 

TKK CONNEKATUiH." ETC. 



KNTKKI'RISK PKINT, 

DET.AVAN, : : WIS. 

1891. 







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And thou Bethelem, in the land of Juda, art not least among 
the prices of Juda ; for out of thee shall come a Governor, 
that shall rule my people Israel.— Matt. 2; 6. 

The swift years come, the swift years go, 
They bring their gladness and their woe ; 
But once they stop upon the way, 
To leave for all one happy day. 
More happy— if our hearts are glad. 
Less sorrowful— if hearts are sad ; 
'Tis when, with joy in every chime, 
The bells ring out the Christmas time. 

Por He, the Bethlehem baby boy 
Can give glad hearts a deeper joy 
For He who came so long ago 
Can soothe the aching heart of woe 

And so the year's best gift alway 
Must ever be the Christmas day ! 

And in the light of this fair morn 
We think of Him in Bethlehem born, 
And thinking thus, behold a vision, 
That kinship cl-iims with realms Elysian. 

We see small faces fair and sweet, 
We hear the sound of little feet, 
—The voice of children at their play. 
In Bethlehem ere the Christmas day. 

So fair, so bright the vision seems, 
Oh, that it lived in else than dreams ! 
So bright, I venture,— daring much- 
Its outlines, tho' with rudest touch. 



! 



THE BABES OF BETHnEHEM. 



And may the curtain of the years 
Be lifted where each form appears, 
And as its darkened folds uprise, 
Live the sweet babes before our eyes ! 

For uow we fain would tell their story, 
Till fades their beauty in His glory,— 
The Babe iu Bethlehem's stable born, 
The Babe that bi ought the Christmas morn ! 

I. 
The First Babe of Bethlehem. 
Where Bethlehem's slopes in beauty lie 
Beneath the perfect, Orient sky. 
Go, note amid the fragrant air 
Of opening blossoms rich and rare. 
By soft spring breezes kissed and fanned. 
The happiest home in all the land ! 

Go, watch yon child, as well, in truth, 
You may delighted. Buoyant youth 
Not yet hath hushed the childish joy 
Of this, fair Bethlehem's baby boy— 
The first of all the princely line 
With record plain in Word divine. 

What name is his who led afar 
The baby host to Bethlehem's Star ? 

For answer, note yon peaceful sight 
While shadows deepen into night, 
And list the Child whose growing speech 
Oft questions of his parents each, 
— What seems a charmed mystery — 
Their youthful life and history. 
Mayhap if we but pause to hear, 
The name and lineage will appear. 

First bids the child the father tell 

Of that strange past where shadows dwell ; 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 



And all his early line to trace 
Of his illustrious, aiicient race, 
But most describe the famous day 
Where once he fought with Joshua, 
Till came the hour in foeman's land 
He won the loving mother's hand. 

The Father's 8toiiy. 

And he, the father, spoke and told 
His story, as speaks warrior bold 
Whose speech is harder far than deed. 
And finds for ending early need. 

He told of Egypt, story bright 

'Till came the time of sorrows blight. 

The mother of the mighty Hur 

Most seemed his heart to touch and stir, 

For in the far and silent years 

'Twas said that Bethlehem's home was hers. 

And Ephrath she, whose fairest fame 

Was to bestow its honored name. 

Perchance her happy baby eyes 
Looked out upon these sunny skies. 
Perhaps in Egypt's bondage stern 
She longed, and often, to return. 

He did not know. 

But this he knew. 
Her kin were of the great and true. 
As Caleb's wife, so! And whose son 
Placed this grand name his child upon,— 
Spy in the wilderness. 

If he, 
The Hur of Moses, came to be 
Great in the Lord, so Aaron's wife 
Held kinship close from Ephrath's life. 
This M as his line. 



THE BABES OF BETHllEHEM. 



Bezaleel, too, 
The tent of God had woven new; 
Most skillful was his touch. This one 
His father had called father. What was done 
By these was known of all. They failed 
Sometimes, but ne'er their faces paled 
Before an earthly foe, and God was good, 
And human vveakness ever understood. 

Here had he stayed his speech, but no! 
Toe child would hear of Jericho. 
For this one tale, tho' often told, 
To his young ears could ne'er grow old. 

'"'Well, that great city in our path, 
Fell, aye, but by Jehovah's wrath. 
A spy, I saw its mighty towers 
Unyielding to such strength as ouis, 
But chiefest worthy, that I name 
Was one whose eyes were radiant flame. 
Ah, I was young then, but today 
I see and feel their potent sway. 
She helped us, and she lived. 

The rest 
Your mother, she can tell the best!" 

And straight the boy her speech demands. 
Nor takes refusal at her hands. 

The Mother's Story. 

I lived where Jordan's waters sweep 
Beneath the high hills rough and steep. 
Upon whose summit strong and calm. 
Long ruled the city of the Palm. 
There once within the armored gate 
1 saw two strangers enter late, 
And seeing, knew them as the foe 
Of our proud city Jericho; 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 



For by their foreign air and face 
They showed the blood of Israel's race. 

Long had we in the city, feared 
This nation, of whose God we heard, 
A God so mighty, none could stand 
Before the sweep of His dread hand. 

We spoke, and played tlie hero's part, 
Yet knew how faint was every heart. 
Our only hope of safety,— they 
Had made so long a strange delay. 
As if perchance their God no more 
Their banners on to victory bore. 
That hope at last forever died. 
For lo, beyond the Jordan's tide 
Far as the searching eye might go 
Stood the white tents of Canaan's foe. 

Then fear held sway in every breast,— 
Nay, not in mine as of the rest, 
For,— how it came I scarcely knew, 
I longed this God to worship too. 
A sinner I,— nor yet with stain 
Of guilt deliberate, and profane. 
For ne'er before 'twas given to see 
How white the human heart should be. 

Thus felt 1, when in Jericho 

I saw these warriors' come and go. 

And maik our bulwarks with the eye 

Of soldier trained each point to spy. 

The weakness here,— the rugged might, 

—The foeman armed for fiercest tight.— 

I did not tell the guards 1 knew, 

—As loyal, it was mine to do,— 

How danger threatened near and dread :- 

"These men my people are," I said. 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 



But what is that rings sharp and high? 
"Death to the Hebrew spies!" — the cry! 

They tly, yet foes are close behind,— 
What refuge may these warriors find? 

'Tis then they reach my open door 
And danger for the time is o'er. 
'Tis tlien I look into the face 
And note of one the manly grace, 
That quickened all my pulses through 
With feelings strong and strangely new. 

I know him now as warrior true 
E'en such as Israel had but few, • 
Trusted of Joshua for his might 
When came the close and deadly tight, 
Trusted of Joshua as men prize, 
Friends that are brave and grandly wise ; 
E'en then I thought, of brave youths seen, 
No Youth so goodly e'er had been. 

fthort was the time, yet more I heard 
Of that great (iod I loved and feared ; 
Short was the time that they must wait 
Nor pass again the guarded gate. 

When came the gloom of midnight's hour 

I helped them down the rugged tower. 

And knew amid the overthrow 

Of proud, yet fated Jericho, 

That I should live ;— the scarlet cord 

Should save me, servant of the Lord. 

And came our doom ! 

Strange was the form 
Of war that breathes of tire and storm ! 
The awful sense of something dread 
O'er all the city seemed to spread. 
No need more urgent could appear 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 



For flashing sword and shining spear, 
And furious charge in wrath to fall 
On yonder line without the wall, 
Yet motionless our army lay 
Nor dared the. bravest seek ihe fray. 

Where were the archers V 

On the tower 
And wall they waited hour by hour I 
In place were they, the strong bow bent 
That had the well aimed arrow sent 
With but the tinger lifted low, 
Straight to the heart of hated foe. 
Yet the bold archers too were still, 
For Israel's God would work His will. 
The foe? What means his circle long 
About the City built so strong? 

No ram he draws to batter down 
The battlements that darkly frown. 
His march beside our towers is near. 
Yet flames no glittering sword or spear. 

Seven days in wonder did our eyes 
Behold this sight with new surprise ; 
But on this day, the last of all, 
They turned not from the City's wall 
As erst before, but seven times drew 
Theii circle, with some purpose new. 

When fell the slant rays of the sun 
'Twas then their weary task seemed done. 

Ah. shall I e'er forget the day 

When that long column faced our way, 

Nor sought the camp, but silent stood 

As listening for the voice of God ? 

I know no people e'er before 

Felt such suspense, and more and more, 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 



And waited with incveasiiig dreaa 
The doom to fall upon its head. 

And svvirt it came. 

Tlie trumpet sound 
Of piiest rang high and far around. 
A sudden tremor shook the wall 
And battlement and tower fi^ll I 

And dread was now the onward charge 

If Israel in the vantage large. 

Amid the cloud of rising dust 

Was gleam of sword, and sharp spear thrust, 

For they the Chiefs of Jericho 

Woke to the tight against the foe ; — 

Few, few indeed, yet grandly brave 

They sought the fight to find a grave. 

For tho' my heart its choice had made 

Ot Israel's future unafraid, 

I could but feel a joy to know 

They perished worthy of their foe. 

Now where I stood the great wall rose 
Above the fierce contending foes. 
There had I stretched the scarlet cord 
And faithful proved the promised word. 
My friends stood with me, and the grace 
Of Israel's God was o'er the place. 

There watched I in the battle storm 
Of Israel's host, for one tall form. 
I knew he would not fail the fight 
Where stood the foeman's men of might, 
And feared lest somewhere on the plain 
My hero should himself be slain. 
But when the task at last was done, 
And the great victory was won, 
He came. 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 



Among his people blest 
He gave us home, and care, and rest. 
'Twas thus we met long years ago 
Amid the towers of Jericho."— 
The Mother paused. The words had brought 
Fair memories that held her thought. 
And in this silence shall we tell 
What in the after years befell V 
At last the borders of the land 
Were held by Joshua's iron hand. 
Now might the host, the conriict done 
Possess the fields their swords had won. 
Now make, since they had ceased to roam, 
Each for himself a happy home. 

What wonder then amid the charm 

Of peace afar from war's alarm, 

Where skies are sunny and the green 

Of spring-time clothes each 'wondrous scene. 

And tlowers blossom in the dells, 

We hear the sound of marriage bells V 

What wonder if the lovely face 

Of Rahab, adding to its grace 

And piquant, changing hues of iighi, 

—The play of morning and^ot' night— 

A purer beauty only given 

To those whose thougnts are born of heaven. 

Had won the heart of Warrior tried, 

Brave Salmon, come to claim his bride ! 

And where beneath that wondrous sky 
Fair Bethlehem's slopes in beauty lie, — 
The home ancestral, gained anew, 
Stern valor's mead for warrior true,— 
There Salmon brought his wedded wife 
And love and dutv made their life. 



10 THE BABES OF BETIIllEHEINI. 

And therB, awak>ining^ hearts to Jay 
Came Bethlehem's earliest baby boy, 
And life took: on a meaning- new 
While Boa7.^stren'^h, in s-tature- grew. 

The Ljfe (/f Boaz. 
A sturdy boy was Boaz. first to see. 
Of all the children it maybe 
That o'er the sanny slopes should roam. 
How pleasant was the lietWeliem home. 
'Twas IJoaz kn'ew and best coiiM telt 
How sweet the water from tlie well. 
In whose deep bosom always lay 
The &tars of Heaven at full noon day. 
'T\vas Boaz knew the i>astures fair 
And tlocks beneath the shepherd's rare. 
And sometimes when the stars were brig-ht 
He watcted with them tine tlocks. by night. 

'Tvvaa Boaz lei his playmate* elown 

Wliere yonder harvest's golden crown 

Of ripened barley tilled the held. 

The certain pledge of ample yield. 

And when some gleaner toiled in vain 

To gather of the scattered grain 

'J'he needed portion, lioaz knew. 

And 1<> I her golden harvest grew — 

Thus passed the years of childish joy 

With Hoaz bnt a happy boy. 

Yet oft liis thoug-hts would wandering- go 

To that strange scene in Jericho— 

The safety in the scarlet cord 

That brought protection from the Lord. 

And often taught, he learned to prize 

The blood-red trutli of sacrifice. 

And dimly saw the hope within. 

—Atonement made for human sin. 



THE BABES OF BETIILEIIKM.. 11 

At last it was he -steod betbre 
Fair manhoods open wider door, 
i And stood alone, for they who gave 
His life, lay -silent in the grave. 

Yet faithful stood. If honor «am'e 
Of Judgeship, Boaz was the same, 
The strong -ealm man before the sight 
Of all, who sought the truth and right 

O ye who think the (|uiet hoar 
Of faithful life hath naught of power. 
Where eomes not fame of bloody war 
Nor statesman's name that shines afar— 
Know that thy thoughts are all astray 
As darkness is apart from day. 

Go forth and turn thy sear«liing eye 
About thee. Is ttere color nigh 
Of this the living ambient air. 
That gives its blessing everywhere V 
Nay .' If at hand you seek to view 
Its charming wondrous touch of blue. 

But to the far off bending sky. 
Lift now thy curious searching eye ; 
How bright, how blue it trembles there 
This same unseen and vital air. 
80 measured at the end of years 
The quiet, faithful life appears. 

Thus Boaz lived ; a life whose touch 
Bettered the people ; sweetened much 
His world, and made it good to live,— 
A help that every life may give ! 

Nor this was his alone. Tho' he 
Knew not the glory yet to be, 
He had his place in that long line 
That held at last the child divine. 



12 THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 



Ah, if for us sucli high estate 
Of future greatness does not wait, 
Yet never shall we live in vain 
For otheis, somewhere in our chain,— 
Of blood, or human biotherhood,— 
If in God's sight our hves are good. 
A place hath Boaz in God's chain 
And he must find it. On yon plain 
Have gone the reapers, and this day 
Shall duty meet him in the way. 

O Kuth is fair amid the grain 
That with her tresses all in vain 
Would match its gold ! The speaking eye 
Hath gray of morn and blue of sky. 

The sunshine with its finger tips 
Touches the rose bloom of her lips. 
And tho' dark sorrow hath its trace, 
Finds hidden sunbeams in her face : 
The while a wonder in what bower 
Hath blossomed forth so bright a flower ; 
The graceful form the eye to please, • 
Bends, like the barley in the breeze. 
And tho' the outward form is fair, 
More fair the spirit nestling there. 

Ah, happy Boaz thus to see 

So bright, so glad a destiny ! 

What wonder now 'mid Bethlehem's bowers 

Where blossom all the spring-time flowers, 

And slopes are green, and green the dells 

We hear the sound of marriage bells ! 

O home ! of Paradise the heart. 
Not all was lost when man did part 
With Eden, for thou camest fair 
To be his blessinsr evervwhere ! 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 13 

And happier none may be beside 
Than Boaz's home with Ruth for bride. 

II. 
Obed. 

What mean Naomi's happy smiles, 
—The joy that from her rape beguiles 
To day the shadows oft and deep 
That n ark the soul where sorrows sleep'! 

Well may her aged heart rejoice 
And thrill to hear that baby A'oice 
That brings again her vanished youth, 
—First born of Boaz and of Ruth. 

He lived — this Bethlehem baby boy, 
He lived, and wrought in God's employ, 
And Obed did not live in vain, 
If but a link in God's great chain. 

III. 
Jesse. 

And o'er the pleasant fields away 
Young Jesse played for many a day. 
—To manhood come, he took his place 
With those who weighty duties face, 
For David long upon his throne, 
Is "Jesse's son''— the man well known. 

Here rocks the cradle to and fro. 
And seven strong sons to manhood grow. 
The eighth,— ah, welcome him with joy, 
—Thus far the brightest Bethlehem boy ! 

2^1. 

David. 
O David of the golden hair, 
O David ruddy cheeked and fair 



14 THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 

And beautiful as once was Ruth 
In all thy glorious buoyant youth, — 
To thee the past has onward led 
And glory great shall crown thy liead I 

Behold him on the Bethlehem plain 
Where Boaz reaped the golden grain, 
liehold him yonder by the well 
Its vvonderous story yet to tell. 

Behold him with his father's sheeo 
Where strong his good right arm doth keep 
The reckless raging foe at bay, 
And bear and lion dares to slay. 
See, swift as arrow's speed he flies, — 
And equal strength within him lies. 

Mark how across this deep abyss 
He hurls the stone tliat will not miss, 
xVnd by long practice,— strength or speed- 
Is cool in danger, skilled in deed. 
Ah well he learns these things this hour. 
The days to come will tax his power ! 
Ah well he shepherds now the sheep 
Who Israel's fold shall sometime keep I 

And tho' in Jesse's home 'tis he 
Held back from larger destiny, 
Happy the duties of such state 
That fit the heart for things that wait. 
In God's good time the gate will ope 
To all the larger life and hope, 
And burning word and daring deed 
Shall grow from the long hidden seed. 

To David comes the moment grand, 
Rise, Jesse's son, 'tis God's command I 



the babes of bethlehem. 15 

Death of Goliath. 
War's stern alarm had sounded. 

From the west 
And southward came the brawny warriors on, 
The old time foe, the brave, the pitiless 
Philistine. 

Israel must meet this host 
With troop untried in battle. Warriors few 
Saul rallied, but with skillful march he threw 
His untrained army straight across the path 
Of foe, with vantage great ; a plan that marked 
The general wise in strategy. 

Between 
The hosts yawned rough and wide a deep abyss, 
And at its bottom still a deep trench ran 
AVhere rushing riood sometimes its current swept. 
On this side cliff abrupt, and that, uprose. 
Making a wall no human foot could climb. 
There lay no way for the Philistine march 
Save o'er the chasm, with death to him who tried. 

Well might they pause ; but if they paused they 

found 
Sure means to hurl their insult on the foe. 

Forth from the hillside camp a warrior strode 
Whose height shamed towering Saul's uplifted 

head,— ' 
~A span beyond six cubits,— half score feet 
Or near. 

Armored he was, but all the weight 

So heavy, lay upon his brawny breast 
And massive shoulders as a thing of straw. 
His spear was like a weaver's beam. 

His shield 
Taxed full the strength of warrior strong to bear 
But one did bear it, strongest next of foe. 
Thus moving forth he seemed a mountain mass 
Of iron. 



16 THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 

Oil the thither side of chasm 
80 deep, he stayed his steps, nor even he 
Dared try its crossing. 

But tbere his awful voice the challenge sent 
Like thunder hoarse o'er trembling Israel, 
Demanding one to fight. 

For forty days 
Did Israel endure the shame, nor dared 
The mighty Saul the test, nor brothers tall 
Of David, nor tlie lesser men of war. 

'Tvvas then that David came on peaceful quest, 
Seeking his brethren, from their father sent;- 
David, who oft on Bethlehem's plain had mused 
Of God with poet's heart, and felt his power. 
Now David saw. and felt dishonor keen, 
As loud the challenge and the curses rang. 

8wift falls his question: 

Is there none to fight'? 
And sharp rebuked, yet ever answer sought, 
And finding none, himself the conflict dares. 

Ah, David's heart hath changed the measure- 
ment. 

For they have stood Goliath up with man, 

And David measures him with God! 

Ho\^ great 

He seemed when with EUab matched, or Saul: 

How shrunk, how small when measured up with 
Him 

Whom Israel worshipped, the Almighty Lord! 

No armor David wears. He takes his sling 

So often in his hand. 'Tis this and— God! 

And thus the fight shall wage! 

But David's eye 

Had marked the distance, trained of old, where 
stood 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 17' 



(Joliath when he spoke; hud seen the brow 
By visor unprotected tlien, and formed 
His daring plan. 

Now from the sight of friends 
He disappears, but soon he climbs tlie side 
Where the great giant mocking, rises up 
To gain as suits his ease, the victory. 
Soon will he take the shield, the visor close, 
But not just yet, so scorns lie yonder foe. 
Ah, David haste thee! 

Now thy skillfvilhand 
Be strong and true, thine eye be clear to see! 
Haste David, fleet of foot as frightened hart. 
Bring foot and hand and eye to highest power, 
And reach the line where thou canst hurl thy 

stone 
With hair breadth certainty upon the brow 
Ere he, thy foe, shall hide it from thy hand 
Or take the heavy shield before his face ! 
Haste, David, haste, for now he lifts his hand 
Upon his visor. 

Ah, proud foe, too late! 
The shepherd boy has not his cunning lost 
And knows the moment for his weapon tried ; 
Swift tli<?s the stone, the tottenng giant dies 
His forehead crushed ere yet the vis^r tell ! 

O David of the golden hair. 

O David ruddy cheeked and fair. 

To thee the past has onward led 

And glory great lias crowned thy head ! 

O David, greater yet to be. 

For He thy (Jod hath chosen thee ! 

To be a King hath not sufficed, 
Thou too art ever type of Christ. 
Thou, best of Bethlehem's children born, 
Save Him who brou-ght the Christmas morn ! 



18 THE BABES OF BETHllEJIEM. 

(!hiiist. 

Of dim tliH Inst is now our speech. 
Of riim the twelfth ; hut if of each 
Few words anrl weak we eoiikl but say 
Mow shall we hail His natal day? 

How tell t'se story of His birtli 

That brought glad iiope to all the earth,— 

Of that fair mother io her youth 

More pure and beautiful than Ruth ; - 

Of angel song whose heavenly strain 

The shepherds heard on Bethlehem's plain? 

How tell of orient kings afar 
Who followed Bethlehem's rising star, 
Or speak of Herod's hatred dread 
That left the babes of Bethlehem dead V 

How t"ll where record none appears 
The story of the silent years, 
'Till He who came the world to save 
Seeks Jordan's swift baptismal wave ? 

Fails then the heart the record new 
The deeds of might to bring to view. 
The W(nds of lire, the heart of love, 
These need the touch from heaven above ; 
To seek to show would be but loss 
From cradle low to lofty cross. 

But when we know He lived and died 
For us, this Savior crucified. 
Then to our hearts the words belong 
Of that sweet prayer in sacred song, 
'• Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 
Let me hide myself in Thee I" 



THE B.VBES OF BETHLEHEM. 



And when we know in that bright hour 
Of life. He broke the grave's dark power, 
And gave His people, e'er to be, 
Triumphan't, glorious victory. 
With joy untold we hail the morn 
That saw the Babe of Bethlehem born ! 
And looknig through the mist of years 
8nig with the heart of worshippers, — 

'• () that with yonder sacred throng 
Wo at Mis feet may fall. 

We'll join the everlasting song, 
And crown Him Lord of all !" 




I— ^ -4-^ -^•3trHi•^Hf^<?^H*-5---»— b- (3—^ 



20 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHE3I. 




Correction. 
Page 8 line 6, read "Of Israel.' 




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